Educational device



April 12v, 1949- M. w. REFFNER 2,467,051

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed June 27, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENToR. 42 f/@al Weffef- I Arrow/5y; v

April 12, 1949.` M. w. REFFNER EDUcATvIo-NAL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1947 l NVENTOR. M07 Wef/fe BY l Afro/wim Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES] ATENT GFF ICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relatesto an educational device, and more particularly to. a. device used in teaching subjects wherein charts, blackboards, or ash cards are ordinarily used.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an educational devi-ce for exposing a wordor a sentence or a variety of sentences one at a time, whereby a` pupil may have his attention fixed thereon. for a predetermined length of time.

In carrying outA the invention, the various desired inscriptions are applied to a scroll, and the scroll is mounted on twoparallel superposed horizontal axeswithin a case. Means is thenv provided for turning the scroll to present the desired matter to view.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the new and improved educational device.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section, taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the device, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a wall having a window therein to provide suitable visibility to a desired portion of the scroll.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a scroll bearing sentences.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary portion of a scroll of another size bearing a series of words.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary front view of the device on a reduced scale, showing an electric motor for actuating the scroll.

The device comprises two side walls I and II, a base I2, and a top I3. These members are securely fastened to one another to constitute a casing for the educational device, and are arranged in the shape of a suitcase. A handle I maybe secured to the top I3 to facilitate carrying of the device.

Horizontally aligned in the upper portions of the side walls I0 and I I are two stub shafts I'I and I8, the stub shaft I8 being spring-pressed inwardly, that is, toward the other shaft Il. The shaft I'I may be either rotatable or non-rotatable, since the device is to be operated at a speed that will not produce excessive friction. Directly underneath the shafts II and I8 are two similar shafts 2I and 22. A scroll 23, mounted on two rollers 24 and 26, is adapted to be mounted on the shafts I'I, I8 and 2l, 22 to rotate thereon, as will be described more particularly hereinafter. In other words, the rollers 24 and 26 are mounted for rotation in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction.

The shaft I8 .is extended outside the side wall- I-V I1 to be attached toa crank 30, and the shaft 22 is similarly arranged to be attached to a crank 3|. Each of the shafts I8 and 22 has an internal key 33 adapted to engage a suitable slot in the adjacent end of the rollersy 24 orA 26 to rotate the latter. The springs 34A may accomplish the dual function of urging the shafts 'I8 and 22 inwardly against their respective rollers, and also of providing suitable tension for the rollers to take up the slack in the=scroll 23'.

Accordingly, the crank 3U may be actuated to turn the scroll 23 in one direction, and the other crank 3| may be actuated to turn the scroll' 23. in the opposite direction.

The scroll 23` may be wide enough to contain complete sentences extending from one side to the other, as indicated' in Figure 5- of the drawings, or another form of scroll 23', shown in Figure 6, may have only a series of words or other indicia. The inscriptions, of course, will depend on the matter that it is desired to impart to the audience. Each of the rollers 24 and :23 contains a slot 36, into which the end of the scroll 23 may be inserted and be gripped, in the same manner as is done in cameras.

A front panel 46 is adapted to be accommodated within suitable grooves 4I and 42 in the top I3 and bottom I2, respectively, so as to be slidable from side to side in the top I3 and the bottom I2. A back panel 44 is similarly accommodated in grooves 46 and 41 in the top I3 and bottom I2, respectively. 'I'he front panel 40 is shown omitted from Figure 1 for the sake of clarity. The panels 43 and 44 are opaque, but each is provided with a window opening 5!) that may be covered with glass or transparent plastic.

In the operation of the device, a suitable scroll 23 and its rollers 24 and 26 are positioned on the shafts Il, i8 and 2l, 22. A front panel 4I] having a suitably sized window opening 50 is slid between the top I3 and base I2 of the device, to make visible the desired word or series of words on the scroll 23. The cranks 30 and 3| may then be operated to bring the inscriptions on the scroll 23 into view back of the opening 5B in the front panel 40.

The scroll 23 may be furnished with inscriptions on both sides, so that after it is wound up on one side, the device may be turned around to present the rear panel 44 to view, and then the scroll 23 may be unwound, to show the different series of inscriptions through a Window 50 that may be of the same size or a different size from that of the front panel 40.

Each scroll .23 may be mounted on a complementary set of rollers 24 and 26, or there may be only one set of rollers 24 and 26 permanently supported in the device, with different scrolls adapted to be inserted in the slots 36 of the rollers 24 and 26.

Two electric lights 52 and 53 are mounted in brackets depending from the under side of the top I 3, so as to illuminate the scroll 23. Switches are provided on the upper surface of the top I3 to turn on either one of the lights 52 or 53.

The device may be operated by a motor. In Figure 7 is shown a motor 60 supported on a platform 6I that is mounted on the base l2. The shaft 62 of the motor has one belt 63 trained over the shaft I7, and a lower twisted belt 64 trained over the shaft 2l. In this event, the shafts I1 and 2l are provided with keys that are manually extensible into the rollers 24 and 26, respectively, to actuate the latter when the motor 60 is in operation. The motor 6I) may be used when it is desired to show a series of inscriptions rapidly, or to unwind a scroll 23.

It is possible, of course, to so design the device as to operate the rollers on vertical axes. In such event, the scrolls will be inscribed accordingly.

I claim:

A portable educational device comprising a rectangular case having a topI and a bottom, said top and bottom each provided at their inner sides with a pair of longitudinal'slots, a pair of side panels, and front and rear panels removably mounted within said slots, whereby the interior of said case is accessible from the front or rear thereof, a pair of horizontal rollers disposed within said case in parallel spaced relationship and mounted for rotation in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, said rollers each having a longitudinal slot therein, a scroll with inscriptions on both sides thereof secured at each end within the slots of said rollers, means attached to the ends of said rollers for rotation of the same in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, whereby said scroll may be moved in opposite directions, spring means disposed adjacent the ends of said rollers whereby the last mentioned means is urged toward said rollers and said scroll is maintained in a taut condition and means for illuminating said scroll from both sides thereof, said vfront and rear panels being each provided with an aperture substantially opposite each other and intermediate said rollers, whereby said scroll may be viewed from opposite sides thereof without removing said scroll or roller froml said case.

MARY W. REFFNER..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 770,841 Barker Sept. 27, 1904 838,840 Campman Dec. 18, 1906 853,042 Thomsonv May 7, 1907 1,388,915 Behncke Aug. 30, 1921 1,618,952 Mayers Feb. 22, 1927 1,642,580 Erb Sept. 13, 1927 1,686,994 Thompson Oct. 9, 1928 1,918,298 Taylor July 18, 1933 1,981,585 Cress Nov. 20, 1934 2,038,022 Zubli Apr. 21, 1936 2,192,257 Champion et al Mar. 5, 1940 2,374,841 Farrand Apr. 24, 1945y 

